Interested in the system of micro-organisms in the pelagic: phytoplankton, protozoa, bacteria, archaea, and their viruses. Working on the theoretical aspects of how organism strategies for competition and defense generates pattern in the complexity of this "invisible" ecosystem. Has worked in particular with the microbial P-cycle. Work with laboratory model ecosystems, mesocosm experiments and field/cruise observations together with mathematical modelling.

Thingstad, T. Frede; Pree, Bernadette; Giske, Jarl; Våge, Selina.2015.What difference does it make if viruses are strain-, rather than speciesspecific?Frontiers in Microbiology.6:320. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00320

Thingstad, Tron Frede; Våge, Selina; Storesund, Julia Endresen; Sandaa, Ruth-Anne; Giske, Jarl.2014.A theoretical analysis of how strain-specific viruses can control microbial species diversity.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.111: 7813-7818. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1400909111

Thingstad, Tron Frede.2000.Elements of a theory for the mechanisms controlling abundance, diversity, and biogeochemical role of lytic bacterial viruses in aquatic systems.Limnology and Oceanography.45: 1320-1328.

Thingstad, Tron Frede; Rassoulzadegan, Fereidoun.1999.Conceptual models for the biogeochemical role of the photic zone microbial food web, with particular reference to the Mediterranean Sea.Progress in Oceanography.44: 271-286.

Thingstad TF (2000) Elements of a theory for the mechanisms controlling abundance, diversity, and biogeochemical role of lytic bacterial viruses in aquatic systems. Limnology and Oceanography 45:1320-1328

Thingstad TF, Rassoulzadegan F (1999) Conceptual models for the biogeochemical role of the photic zone microbial food web, with particular reference to the Mediterranean Sea. Progress in Oceanography 44:271-286

Gottschal JC, Thingstad TF (1982) Mathematical-Description of Competition between 2 and 3 Bacterial Species under Dual Substrate Limitation in the Chemostat - a Comparison with Experimental-Data. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 24:1403-1418

Bakke T, Dale T, Thingstad TF (1982) Structural and Metabolic Responses of a Subtidal Sediment Community to Water Extracts of Oil. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research 16:524-537